26.4 Moses 26, day 4

Avoiding Temptations through Intentional Congregation

Your faith in God is your own.  Your walk with God is a personal walk.  Your relationship with God is individual and personal.  God loves and desires you.  Jesus died for you.  The Holy Spirit will dwell in you.  God created you and His promises or for you, personally.

But, you will find that, to live an obedient life, there is strength in numbers.  We are called into a community of believers.  We are called into church.  Not only the buildings we call churches, but the bigger church, the body of believers.

That community is not a figurative community, it is a real one.  We are to join it, participate in it, be involved in it.  Know the other members.  Be known to the other members of the community.  Be transparent.  Teach and be taught.  Worship together.

At the time of Moses, the community was built around a physical place.  We are still called to make a physical connection, but in Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are also to make a spiritual connection.  The tabernacle was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ physical presence on the Earth.  But, as Jesus said to the woman at the well in John 4:23, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.“

Use the strength of the church to avoid temptation.  Temptation can come from many sources.  It can come from false teachers and prophets, even those who appear to have abilities to know about the future.  Temptation can come from family.  Temptation can even come from troublemakers within the community that was designed to give you strength.  But when temptation happens, do not be too shy or proud to face it together.

We’re called to be intentional in our faith and especially in the manner in which we live out our faith.  It starts with being intentional in obedience and worship.  Take giving for example.  The festival of weeks, also known as Pentecost, also known as the festival of first fruits, is discussed in Deuteronomy 16.  When the people entered the promised land, and even in later years, farmers would watch their fields and, at the first sign of ripening of fruit, they would go into the gardens and tie a ribbon around the vine of the first fruit to show the first signs of ripening.  When it was fully ripe, these fruits went into a basket and were presented at the temple.  We often think of giving in terms of monetary gifts and, to many of us, one dollar is not any different than another dollar.  But, God doesn’t want just any fruit or any dollar, He, for our sake, wants us to commit the first dollar or first product of our work or fields of labor.  How would your rejoicing in giving be different if you set the first fruits of your labor aside in a gift box designated for God?  How would that simple act cascade through your approach and thinking about the rest of each day of work?

How about tithing?  If instead of viewing it as sacrifices you were giving up of things that belonged to you, you, instead saw it and participated in it as a gathering with others in the family of believers?  Feeding each other, caring for each other, communing with others, together, equally, forgiving debts, setting each other free from servanthood.  If this is what we made “the church” look like, our next generation would be packed in together with us instead of being absent as is more the norm today.

But we are the church.  It isn’t for someone else to do, it starts with us – you and me.  To live in intentional faith.  To take our personal relationship and join it, intentionally, with others to be the body of believers in Christ in His church.

 

My Answers:

9.
a.
destroy them completely

b.
The temple was a foreshadowing of heaven and living in community with Jesus.  It was also to keep His people united as a community instead of “i worship my god, you worship yours”.

c.
A warning to join the community where God has place His name, to see Jesus in the articles of worship, to participate in true worship not trying to possess God – (john 4:23) Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

10.
(1) A prophet who foretells dreams – even if signs take place.  (2) family member entices you (3) troublemakers within your town

26.3 Moses 26, day 3

At the Gateway of the Next Thing

We’ve all been at the place where the Israelites find themselves in the book of Deuteronomy.  They are no longer wandering the desert, but they also have net yet moved into the next stage of their life.  They are in the “in between”, knowing they are at the gateway of what God has in store for them next, but not yet being called to move into that next mission.

If any of us reflect on our life, we’ve spent time in this place.  In some ways it is one of the most difficult places to live.  Its not the time of trial and survival, but it isn’t the time of feast and bounty.  Its not the desert, but it also is not the promised land.  Maybe you are there right now.

I think we can learn a lot from Deuteronomy 4-11 to help us navigate this time of life as people of God.

Stay in the word of God.  Don’t add to it or subtract from it.  Don’t embellish the stories but also don’t forget the lessons.

Keep your eyes open, but don’t allow them to deceive you into making something you see into an idol for worship.  Not the sun or moon or stars, not people, things, animals.

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Learn and study the word of God.  Not only the letter of the law but even more so the intent.  Know and obey the 10 commandments and also the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  Teach them to your children, talk about God in everything you do.  Put the word of God in your thoughts and in the work of your hands, on your place of dwelling and your journey from gate to gate.

As you think forward to whatever God has planned for you next be resolute, fortified and committed that you will not compromise or settle whatever you may face.  Whatever God has planned for your future, He has planned all the way, without compromise.

Look forward to and claim the blessings of God’s covenant to the obedient, “He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young.  The Lord will keep you free from every disease.”

Commit yourself to not forget to praise and worship.  When God calls you to move forward and you receive the blessings, don’t forget who brought you to the dance.  You are not going there because of your skills or your righteousness, you are going because of God.

Remember your weaknesses.  The temptations you have faced in the past are temptations you will face in the future.  Learn from your past mistakes so that you won’t repeat them.

Love the Lord your God.  There is one God.  He loves you.  Love Him.

Be obedient.  Observe the commands.  Learn them and know them.  Faithfully obey the commands.  Carefully obey the commands.

Know that wherever God is going to lead you, He is going there before you and preparing the way.  Wherever it is you will be going in obedience, God is there now.

 

My Answers:

5.
a.
He is jealous for what is His.  He warns his people what will happen.

b.
heard the voice of God speaking out of fire and lived, took one nation out of another, testings, signs and wonders, war, mighty hand, outstretched arm, great and awesome deeds, , shown things so they might know the LORD

c.
The bible, His spirit, life, family, church, To see the blessing of children.  To have God guide the hand of Doctors.  To find a mission and work for the Lord.  To be given a voice.

6.
a.
Obedience: keeping all his decrees and commands, keeping all his decrees and commands,  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength

b.
Impress them on their children, Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates – Family get togethers focused on God – inviting in missionaries, model prayer

7.
The warning to not forget the Lord when He has brought me into times of “a good land” or when I “have eaten and are satisfied”, but instead – Praise the Lord

8.
fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good

 

26.2 Moses 26, Day 2

Checking the rear-view mirror

Deuteronomy is a collection of benedictions (good words) of Moses.  Basically, his last lecture of the things he wants to ensure the people of God hear and heed.

He starts his sermon with a review of where God’s people had been.  The Hebrew people had been here before.  The last time they were at the doorway to the promised land, they proved themselves to be rebellious and despite the truth spoken by Caleb and Joshua, they refused to enter the land.

This event is the entry point for this current generation.  It was their parents who were the decision makers in the rebellion.  It was their parents who longed for Egypt.

But Moses words are addressed to “you” not to “them.”  This generation is tied to the last.  We inherit the sins of our parents and they shape us.  But we have a choice in how they shape us.  Do we choose to be limited by them.  Do we choose to repeat the same patterns and repeat the same mistakes or do we choose to learn from them and rise above.  But, in either situations, we aren’t to be in denial.  When we shame and blame our parents and ancestors we delude ourselves into thinking we are not impacted by or have liability/baggage from their decisions.  Moses does talk about them, he talks to you.  The message is personal

But, while Moses addresses the “you”, he doesn’t romanticize the past or prompt this generation to have any desire to repeat the sins.  The review is a clear look in the rearview mirror to keep that past behind them as they move forward.

This generation shouldn’t have any desire to repeat the past 40 years, but they should also understand that God has used that time to shape them and prepare them.  Think about how it has shaped and prepared them.  They had spent 38 years on an 11 day journey.  For the past 40 years this generation has watched more than 80 of their parents and grandparents, on average, die every day, day after day.  We learned in the Numbers 26 that over 600,000 men had died over the past 40 years.  Assuming an equal number of men and women that is 1.2 Million people who have died.  1,200,000 divided by 40 years divided by 365 days = 82 deaths per day on average.  This generation has grown up homeless, wandering from place to place with no land to call their own.  They have moved their herds, but they have also lived always under the care of the Lord.  God has provided their daily bread.  God has gone before them and dwelt with them and protected them.  They have seen the impact of sin and rebellion both in day-to-day life and in major events such as plagues and fire and even the earth opening up and swallowing families.  They have also witnessed the blessings of being God’s chosen people.

God has used all of that to prepare them, train them and bring them to this place.  But, through Moses words, he also reminds them that this generation is not immune to the heritage of the generation before.  They are not to lose sight of the rebellion, but they are to keep it behind them.

What sins of prior generations are you trying to deny?  What sins of prior generations do you wish to forget?  Which attitudes of your parents are temptations to you as well?  What hardships have you experienced in your life?  Are you angry and wounded by those hardships and blaming them on others or can you look in the rear-view mirror and see how they have been used to training and teaching you how to walk with God?

 

My Answers:

3.
in the wilderness east of the Jordan 11 days journey from Mt. Horeb (10 commandments) – that took them 38 years to travel

4.
a.
They had rebelled, they had turned away from God, They had been blessed, Because of unbelief they had wandered for 38 years, An entire generation had perished

b.
Instructed the Israelites (I said…) Spoke with the Lord, Commanded the Israelites, saw Gods might, commissioned Joshua, was allowed to see the promised land but not enter it

c.
was faithful, spoke to His people, Was with the people and Moses, Fought battles for them, defeated people for them, blessed the people, watched over their journey

25.5 Moses 25, Day 5

How can a loving God…?

Our story today can be a major stumbling block to many people.  It also is at the heart of language that discusses the “God of the Old Testament” vs. the “God of the New Testament.”  This God appears to be ruthless, uncaring, unloving, where the one we grew to know through Jesus was forgiving and peaceful.

So, let’s back up and get at the heart of our repulsion to this situation.

1. People die.  We don’t like it that people die, especially when it is us or our loved ones, but generally, we understand that it is something that is going to happen and we accept it.

2. God is in control of everything.  To believe in an all powerful, all knowing, sovereign God is to also believe that God is in control.  Nothing happens that God does not allow.  God also has the power to stop anything and everything.  If God chose to have someone live to be 120 or 969 years old, they would live to that age.  That is what being in complete control means – the power over life and death.

3. If people die and God is in control then God is in control of life and death.  Here is where we start losing some people with a concept of a really small God.  They want a god who is in charge of “good things”, but “bad things” are just a matter of chance – outside of god’s control.  (I switched to small “g” because that does not describe the God of scriptures.)

4. Women and children die.  Again, not something we really like, but we understand that if everyone dies, it is going to include women and children and God is in charge of that, too.

5. Large numbers of people can die at the same time.  Plagues, earthquakes, natural disasters, flooding, tornados, tsunami.  None of these are things we like and understand (from a how it fits in God’s design point), but we generally accept that they happen and, if we also believe God is in control, then God allows them to happen.

6. In times of war, people kill other people.  Again, not something we like or look forward to, but we generally accept it as fact and the definition of war.

When we look hard at Numbers 31-36, our issue with the Midianites is not that they died (people die) or that women and children died (that happens to) or that large numbers of people died.  At heart, it isn’t even that God allowed them to die, because that has been happening ever since Adam and Eve.  It isn’t even that they died on that die because we can and do accept that, for each of us, there is a day and time that our life will end (again, and a sovereign God has control over that moment).

Let’s back up a second.  God didn’t need the Israelite involvement to have the Midianite people die on this particular day.  He could have done it with a plague (like those he allowed in the Israelite camp).  He could have opened the earth (Korath).  He could have rained down fire and brimstone (Sodom)  He could have used any of the plagues of Egypt, starvation, drought.  He could have chosen another conquering army to come in or even an internal coup.

God did not need the Israelites to deal with the Midianites.  And, let’s look at the Midianites.  These were a people who pimped out their women, their wives, mothers and daughters, to another nation (Moab) to use to seduce the Israelite men.  These were a people who openly worship Baal and gave safe harbor to Balaam.  These are also people who had Jethro as a priest and Moses’ wife and sons as kinsmen.  These are people who had the opportunity to learn about God and worship the one true God but they chose to reject Him and breed idolatry, sorcery and hate for God’s people.   The sins and choices of one generation can carry forward and infect generations to come.

God’s people were moving in to this land and they were going to conquer it.  They weren’t co-habitating it.  They weren’t moving in next door to friendly neighbors.  They were conquering the land and taking possession of it.  The people were going away, one way or the other – and, they weren’t going away willingly.

So, our complaint isn’t that there was a war, or that the Midianites died, or even that they died on this day, or even that they died on this day in large numbers or even that they died on this day in large numbers which included women and children.

Our complaint is that people, men like you and me, were used by God to carry out this action.  Why is it that we can be ok with their death and even be ok with their death with God in control but we are repulsed by it being done at the hand of men?  I think there are two reasons:

1. We don’t trust our fellow man.  We have grave concern that some delusional person will see this historic event as some justification for taking action themselves.  We see it as justification by other religious groups for their heinous actions because, well, the Jews did it.

2. We are afraid that God would/could/might ask us, as zealous believers, to do the same thing.

I think both are fully rational reasons to be concerned and repulsed, but, let’s face it – neither of them is an indictment against God.  If you “can’t believe in a God…”, that statement isn’t about God it is about yourself and your fellow man.

Also, that was then.  It is not a precedent, it is an isolated event at a specific time in ancient history.  It was then – this is now.  None of us are part of the 12 tribes of Israel freed from Egypt to move in to the promised land.

I lack trust in the crazies in the world as well – the ones who believe that their religious zeal gives them the right to behead people and set them on fire or kill or mutilate them in various ways.  That is not this passage and it is not truth.  I, too, have certainty they do not share my faith in God.

Jesus did not abolish the law, but He did fulfill it.  God is God.  The God who created the Universe is the one alive today.  If you have an issue with God, take the time to truly examine your complaint.  Is it really against God or, actually, is it against your fellow, fallen man?  If it is the latter, then accept and embrace God – He is our only source of power and protection against the wicked in this world.

 

 

I went long on this part but I wanted to mention one item about the Reubenites and Gadites.  Did you notice what it says in Number 32:1 – “They saw.”  Isn’t this, over and over again, at the heart of our problems and disobedience.  We put more faith in the sensory of our eyes than we do in the promise and faith of our heart.  We put seeing over believing.  As a result we settle for far less than what God has in store for us.  We are pulled into sin.  We doubt what we can’t see.  We have wandering eyes leading to impure thoughts.

Where in your life are you putting your faith in your sight rather than in God?  Where are you allowing your eyes to lead you into a state where you risk being a “brood of sinners”?

 

My Answers:

9.
a.
God is just, so, yes.  The Midianites harbored Balaam.  They worshipped idols including baal.

b.
God could have simply wipe them out for their sin.  However, he chose to allow the Israelites to do the battle to teach them, show them His strength and theirs and to test them on their obedience.

10.
a.
They had lots of flocks and saw the land was suitable for livestock – “do not make us cross the jordan”  (sounds like still a bit of victim mentality)

b.
No.  He thought they were shirking their responsibility to the nation – “a brood of sinners”

c.
They agreed to go into battle, “go ahead of the Israelites” but leave their women, children and livestock in place.

11.
a.
Historic reference.  It was the history of God shaping this nation, not unlike recording birthdays or height on a door post.

b.
weddings, mission trips, commitments to help missions, teaching occassions, application of gifts, joining organizations, churches

12.
To ensure there is not vigilante-ism but justice.  Gave time for witnesses to gather to tell truth instead of rushed judgment

25.4 Moses 25, Day 4

(1) Charging Station or Garden? and (2) Honoring to Women

Many of us have shaped an image of our relationship with God and church and the bible and worship like a charging station in a technological age.  We plug in to worship and devotion.  We recharge.  We then unplug and go out into the world.  As we wear down, we plug back in.  We talk about how worn down we get, how drained we feel and the energy of the spirit.

We have adopted this relationship analogy because it is one we use in other parts of our life.  Juggling between different priorities and responsibilities we apply some processing resources to one or the other.  We try to have “quality time” with our kids and family.  We even do the same thing to our kids and family by getting them plugged in to the right schools, teams, groups and activities.

But, I think our lesson today in Numbers 28-29 shows how that is a flawed mindset.  It is one that leads to an idea that we can justify delayed connection time if we “supercharge”.   Along the lines of, I can’t be at all of my kids games but when I’m there I’m on the front line, cheering the loudest and all decked out in the appropriate colors and uniform.

But in the list of worship activities for the Hebrews they look less like a recharging station and more like a garden.  God is getting ready to move them into their new home, the Promised Land, and He wants them to put down strong roots.  He wants to nourish those roots daily in worship to him.  He wants to tend the soil around the plantings weekly.  He wants to prune the plants and clear the weeds monthly.  He wants to prepare the soil and harvest the fruit at appropriate times each year.

How would our lives change if we changed our mindset to a more organic and living garden with God?  Would it help us understand the importance of steady nourishment and sunlight (Son-Light)?  Would it help us see the storms of life as part of the rhythm of what strengthens us?  Would we see our connection with God as a living connection?  Would it reduce the amount of up-rooting we do to ourselves with the constant un-plugging and plugging in and the stresses and strains all of that involves?  Couldn’t we produce for more spiritual fruit for God’s kingdom if we are firmly rooted in the Word of God?

 

On a separate note, I thought both Chapters 27 and 30 speak to God’s special love for women.  Many have formed an idea of the bible as being demeaning or derogatory to women.  I understand this argument when situations like the census where only the men are counted.  But, I think these 2 chapters also speak to the love and provision God intended for women.  Contrary to any other nation of their time, the nation of Israel in the promised land would have been very progressive.  Not only could women own property in their own name and retain title to it (ch 27), but they could also independently enter into binding contracts and agreements (vows) that were impacting not only on themselves but also on their families.  I don’t think the people of God did a good job of continuing to walk in the intent of these chapters, but it was heartening to see God’s love and appreciation for all of His creation, not just the male members.

 

My Answers:

7.
a.
They were children when the Israelites were first at Mount Sinai when the law was first communicated

b.
The pattern, daily, weekly, monthly, passover, first fruits,   Builds on past but points to the future.
God expects us to worship him daily, weekly, monthly and on special holidays

8.
Many think the bible message is derogatory to women.  This chapter helps show is protective and honoring, progressive and empowering (at least in parts).

25.3 Moses 25, Day 3

Whom do you live for?

I love the question in our lesson about what would you do/pray if you found you only had one week to live?  I think the answer to that question, at its heart, reveals for whom we live.

If you live for yourself, with one week to live, the focus of that week will be on yourself.  What will make you feel better?  What is on your bucket list?  Where to go, what to see, what to do.  Sky diving.  Rocky Mountain climbing.  You would want to cram in as much “living” as you could in the time you had left.

If you live for others your focus is going to be on provision.  What can you do to get your accounts in order, line up documents, accounts, people to leave a legacy and take care of those on whom you are focused.

If you live for God your focus is on His will and mission and expanding the kingdom.  What message can you leave?  Whom can you reach out to?  How can you use your circumstance to invite others into God’s family and live as an example of pure faith and trust in your final days?

As human’s we are all on a scale of all three of these.  Thinking of it as a three dimensional graph, we fall somewhere in the X,Y,Z space with few (if any) of us totally along one axis.

The reason I think this is a wonderful question is not because it helps identify where I am (if I answer honestly), but it gives me the ability to assess where I would like to be so I can continue to change my life and my priorities to move more in that direction.

As Christians, most of us would like to live less for ourselves and more for God and less for ourselves and more for others.  That is definitely the example we see in Moses.  When presented with the deadline (no pun intended) of his life, his concern was for the continuation of his mission work for the Lord and the care of a people that he loved.

So where are you now and where do you want to be in regard to the priorities of your life?

How will you live differently if you start “living like you are dying?”

How will you live differently if you start “living like you are going to live forever?”

If you are a Christian (and the rapture doesn’t occur in your lifetime) both of these are true statements.

 

My Answers:

5.
a.
He allowed him to see the promised land.  He honored his request for succession planning

b.
who would God appoint as the leader over the people

c.
provision for my family

6.
God picked him.  God had Moses give him some of his authority (when he did, the Holy Spirit transferred to him).  He did not see the Lord face-to-face.  He did not stand in the tent of meeting with God, Eleazar served as the intermediary.

25.2 Moses 25, Day 2

Everyone Counts in God’s Book

I found it interesting that the census, both and the beginning of the book of Numbers and her are to the person.  There isn’t any rounding or estimating.  Person by person, tribe by tribe, the people are identified and counted.

In the same way, every soul matters to God.  We live in country, in districts or provinces or states, in neighborhoods and families.  God cares about all of that and guides it, but every single person individually matters as well.

The number of people preparing to enter the promised land is almost exactly the same as those who left Egypt, but it isn’t the same group.  In the same way that you can stay the same weight while getting more fit by gaining muscle, the prior nation was a grumbling lot where this one is a fit, fighting machine.

I loved the way the daughters of Zelophehad exemplified the confidence this generation held.  “Give us property”.  There was no doubt and no hesitance.  They were confident, assured, that there would be property.  No “if’s” and no “maybe”.  God will give them the land.  They also didn’t ask or beg or try to negotiate, they spoke out a claim to what they believed should be theirs.

What a change this is from the generation of grasshoppers.

Are you operating with the same level of confidence in God’s promise?  Are you begging for scraps and hoping for salvation or, like these women, are you claiming what should be your inheritance as a child of God?

 

My Answers:

3.
a.
~40 years (a bit less because they didn’t have the first until the 2nd year and there is still time for the trans-jordanian tribes to build cities before entering, but we know Moses is still alive in the 11th month of the 40th year and he dies before they enter

b.
almost the same – 603,550 to 601,730

c.
603,547 Caleb and Joshua alone from those 20 years and older (at this point Moses is still alive whether he was counted in the census or not but that is why I chose -3 instead of -2)

d.
The number of fighting men for the army
To divide the territory
To show that even in the wilderness the people thrived

4.
They were bold in honoring their family name by approaching Moses and Eleazor, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting and stating “give us property among our father’s relatives.” And the Lord said, they are right.
Women can own property and (from Num 27, if marry in own clan) at year of Jubilee it is returned to them .

24.5 Moses 24, Day 5

Phinehas: Skewered Sinfulness Stops Fury

Our verses for today start at Number 25:6 but I believe you have to go back and include 25:5 to get the story of Phineas correct.

Moses called together THE JUDGES of Israel.  As you might recall, on the recommendation of his father-in-law, Moses had set up a hierarchy of governing men from the community.  From Exodus 18:21, 22 we learn that Moses was counseled to, “select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times.

These were the people that God, through Moses, commissioned to “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord.”  It was their job and their duty.  In the same way a judge in our courts may be commissioned to deliver a severe sentence to a convicted criminal or a police officer or soldier may be put in a position to use deadly force in the conduct of their duty.

But the judges did not go into this duty with a carefree attitude.  In Numbers 25:6 we read that this whole assembly (not just some of them but all of them) were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.  They were crying because of the sin, but also because of the seriousness of the burden placed on them by the sin of the people.  They did not want to kill their brothers and cousins, fathers and sons.

When, in the middle of all of this, with 24,000 people dying, with the judges assembled in mourning and repentance, crying tears at the tent of meeting, along boldly strides Zimri with a Midianite women in tow, taking her brazenly into his tent in broad daylight to defile and reject God’s commandments.  Multiple witnesses, verdict delivered.

The fact that all of the judges did not rise up against this man is a testimony of how shocking the immoral act was given the situation.  But zealous Phineas, raised as the grandson of the High Priest and the son of the current High Priest stands up and delivers justice.

With that one bold act, the plague stopped.  It was not the death of Zimri that paid the price.  It was the dedication and conviction of Phinehas that restored God’s faith in His people.

We are not called to be executors of God’s wrath.  Yes, there is grave sin in our time committed by brazenly spiteful and wicked people.  Pick any abomination and there are not only people practicing it, but those who promote it.  But we are not ordained as judges tasked by God will carrying out His sentence on these people.  Phinehas was.  That is the difference.

In Matthew 7, Jesus taught, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

But that does not mean that we are not supposed to demonstrate zeal in the duties that have been commanded of us.  We just have different duties than Phinehas and the judges of Israel had (praise the Lord for that!).  We should be zealous in being holy.  We should be zealous in being nourished by the Word.  We should be zealous in obedience.  We should be zealous in parenting and teaching.  We should be zealous in generosity.  We should be zealous in the chastity and fidelity of our relationships.  We should be zealous in going and making disciples.  We should be zealous in ensuring others will “know we are disciples by our love.” (John 13:35)

We close our lesson with Balaam and the fact that he, a mortal man, was killed by the sword of the Israelites.  But he has a legacy.  His legacy is what not to do.  In every situation he is mentioned it is always a negative.  Despite delivering 7 fold blessings on the Israelites and coming face-to-face with the Angel of the Lord – there is nothing positive in his legacy, just what not to do.  How do you want to be remembered – for being zealous or for being greedy?  For being the one who God finds loyalty and bravery and the justification for ending the plague or as the one who brings on the anger of the Lord and plagues on people?

 

My Answers:

10.
a.
He did it in zealous obedience.  24,000 people were dying from sin and it was Phinehas’ job to follow the verdict given by the Lord.

b.
by staying obedient to Him and His word

11.
a.
taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin

b.
Killed by the sword by Israelites

12.
a.
He does not tolerate sin in His people

b.
To be holy – to not be lured into wickedness and evil.  To avoid temptation

24.4 Moses 24, Day 4

Subversion, perversion, aversion and reversion

What happens next in the story of the Moabites and the Israelites speaks volumes of both groups of people.

Subversion has always been and is today a common strategy used to overthrow an enemy.  Identify the weaknesses of your enemy and use that to weaken their positions of strength.  Weaken the walls.  Play to the things they want to keep hidden and secret.

For the Israelites, that weakness was a temptation of the pervisions offered by the Moabite women.  They quit thinking with their heads and began bowing down to the gods of Baal.

Their aversion (turning away from the correct path) and reversion (inability to maintain a higher state), resulted in dire sin and the wrath of a just God.

God had prepared this generation their entire lives to enter the promised land.  A people set apart, fed, clothed, cared for day and night.  Their enemies fell down in terror before them.  They enjoyed freedom to grow and multiply and look forward to the great gift and reward to come.  And, they were willing to sacrifice all of that for food and carnal lust.

But think about what that also says about the Moabites.  Balaam counsels them on the Israelite weakness, but the Moabites are the ones who willingly pimp out their mothers, wives and daughters for military gain.  Who does that?  Most societies protect women and children, not send them out to sleep with the enemy.

God could not allow this.  In every way it was wrong, destructive and undermined the very nature of a holy people.  Found guilty by multiple witnesses and by the judgment of God, a sentence of death was imposed by God and a plague began.

 

My Answers:

8.
a.
Sexual immorality with Moabite women, invited them to sacrifice to their gods, yoked themselves with Baal

b.
To reject God

c.
Chose to delay worship rather than putting God at the beginning of every day.  I also chose to trust in him for housing and care of mom/uncle : missed blessing of daily walk, frustration, trust and peace in things I have turned over to Him

9.
God said to – it is always wise to be obedient.  God also was teaching them through this, the consequences of yoking themselves to the heathen people and their gods

 

24.3 Moses 24, Day 3

Oracles and Other Locales

I was listening to a David Jeremiah podcast on the story of Job.  One of the things he brought up was an interesting question, “Do you have a big God or a little God?”  There is only one true God and His size doesn’t change, but peoples’ believes about the size of God can vary.

Balak had a little god.  If God keeps you from doing something over here, just move over there, where He can’t hear you any more.

Little gods are petty.  You are always in trouble with a little god.  You are always needing to do something to appease a little god – like building 7 altars.  Little gods are expensive, they want what is yours.

Our God, the God is the Israelites, is not a little god, He is the Big God.  He is everywhere in every dimension: height, width, depth, time, state of matter, speed.  He created everything, not just the physical elements, but the very laws of nature and physics and chemistry and biology across the universe.  He was before there was time and He will be after the linear progression of earthly time has ended.  He is in control of all things, thoughts, words and deeds.

Balaam was praised by Balak because what he blessed was blessed and what he cursed was cursed.  But God’s word through Balaam turns this around.  In regard to God’s people, anyone who blesses them is blessed and anyone who curses them is cursed.

God is not a man that he should lie or a son of man that he should change his mind.  God is God.  God’s people are the righteous, who live apart.  They live in beauty, spread out in garden’s well watered by the spirit and the word.  They are powerful like a lion because they serve the all-powerful King.

So, how big is your God?  Do you try to control Him?  Do you try to put Him in a box?  Do you try to buy-Him-off with acts or bribes?  Do you think He needs your time or your money or your devotion, instead of recognizing the creator of everything already has rights to all things and you are delusional to think it is “yours” to begin with?  If you don’t like the answer from the bible do you seek out some watered down message somewhere else?

If so, open your eyes.  There is an Angel of the Lord standing in your path with sword drawn, because the path you are on leads to death and destruction, curses and damnation.

If you continue to believe in a little god, you are not believing in the Big God.  You will continue to augment your little god with other things, other “religions”, the occult, spiritualism, self-help, sorcery, divination, wishful thinking. You will continue to try to buy favors or to buy your way out of problems.  You will continue to live in fear, a terrified life, filled with dread.

A belief in the The Big God does not need augmentation.  God created everything.  Jesus made full atonement. The Spirit is pure holiness.

Maybe its a good time to upgrade the size of your God!

 

My Answers:

5.
1st
Brought to curse, how can I curse what God has not cursed – I see people who live apart, very numerous, they are righteous

2nd
God is not a man, won’t change his mind – no misfortune for Israel, God is with them, like a lion

3rd
Beautiful tents, spread out like gardens well watered, God brought them, like a lion – those who bless you blessed, curse you..

4th
future – star will rise out of Israel, scepter, Moab, Sheth, Edom destroyed

5th, 6th, 7th
Amalek, Kenites, Ashur, Eber, all people destroyed

6.
a.
He believed God was constrained by physical space, going to a new location might change things.  He didn’t like the first response

b.
Sometimes it is to get confirmation of counsel and direction, but more commonly it is because I didn’t like what I heard.

7.
He knew the Lord, but still had repeatedly chosen to consort with demons